Station 3: Warning Signs
«Something doesn’t feel right...»: The dynamics begin to shift. There’s often a cycle of highs and lows: beautiful moments followed by negative ones, often suddenly and unexpectedly. This drains energy and leaves a nagging feeling in the pit of your stomach.
Violence has many faces, and not all are immediately visible. Yet all forms leave deep scars, including emotional abuse. Emotional abuse is subtle and therefore hard to pinpoint. It takes many forms and aims to weaken, unsettle, and control a person.
What can emotional abuse look like?
Tension and overreaction:
Victims are made to feel as though they are constantly doing or saying the « wrong » thing. They hesitate to express their wishes or feelings openly, fearing or feeling anxious about how their partner will react.
Gaslighting:
Gaslighting is a manipulative tactic where a person distorts facts, lies, or denies events to create doubt and confusion. Victims begin to question their perceptions and lose confidence in themselves.
Social isolation:
The fewer social connections someone has, the greater their dependency becomes. Victims are gradually cut off from their social network through controlled interactions, blocked meetings, or derogatory comments about their friends.
Intense jealousy:
Intense jealousy is a form of control, not a proof of love. Victims are monitored, often falsely accused of infidelity. To avoid conflict, many adjust their behavior and limit social activities.
Regardless of the method used, the goal is always the same: to gain power and control.
This can also escalate into physical violence.
Continue to Station 4: «Escalation of Violence».
Exploring Bern? You can also find Station 4 at: Kirchenfeld Apotheke, Thunstrasse 15, 3005 Bern.